Alliance
by iwill.youwill.wewill.3
Summary: This is my depiction of how I think Clarke will handle the condition the grounders have given her. Finn's life is at stake, and so is Clarke's conscience. Taking off where the latest episode left off, Clarke embarks on a quest to either save the alliance or Finn. Rated M for violence.
1. Chapter 1

Clarke's mind replayed the one term that would save her people, over and over again. His name was in every thought she had as she made her way back to the Ark. Normally this hike would take about an hour tops, but Clarke could barely put one foot in front of the other. The burden of what she knew lay heavy on her shoulders.

At one point Clarke couldn't walk any further. She rested her back against the nearest tree and slid to the ground. _Give us Finn and you have your alliance. Give us Finn. Finn. Finn. _

Clarke felt a stinging sensation in the palms of her hands and her eyes darted down to the tight fists she had clenched at her sides. He'd killed innocent people, the elderly and children of a tribe that had told them nothing but the truth. If they were still on the Ark he would've been floated by now. But, they weren't on the Ark. The moment the hundred were sent to the ground the law had changed. Clarke felt personally responsible for all of the hundred. She wouldn't have cleared him so quickly and certainly wouldn't have given him a gun. But, would she have killed him?

Clarke got to her feet, realizing that if she took too long getting back, everyone would be worried. They would assume the worst, that the alliance wasn't going to happen, and Clarke had already been killed.

She quickened her pace and was at the fence a half hour later. Finn was on the other side of the fence pacing. The moment he looked up and saw her approaching he began shouting to the guard to open the gate.

Clarke walked through, and when Finn came running towards her, wrapping her in his arms, she stood perfectly still. She didn't deserve this kind of greeting. Not with the news she was bringing. Finn let her go, used to her giving him the cold shoulder after everything that happened.

"Can you find my mother? Tell her the counsel needs to meet as soon as possible."

Finn nodded and was soon walking off in search of Abby. Clarke headed straight for her tent, she needed to be alone just one more time. She needed to collect herself before she could face the counsel.

She was a foot away from her tent when she felt a strong hand grip her arm. "Clarke," she immediately recognized Bellamy's voice before she turned to face him. "What happened?"

She shook her head and gestured to her tent. Not here. Not out in the open.

He followed her inside. She took a seat on her cot, rubbed her palms against her eyes. She immediately regretted it, when she felt the cool liquid smear her face.

"What happened to your hands?" Bellamy fell to his knees in front of her, immediately grabbing hold of her hands. When he noticed the nail marks he looked back up at her. "They didn't accept the alliance?"

She shook her head, "No they did. On one condition."

He looked at her expectantly.

"They want Finn."

Bellamy didn't say a word. He grabbed the nearest backpack and started searching through it. "What are you doing?"

"We have to clean your cuts before they get infected." He said it as though it was obvious. As though she hadn't told him anything at all.

"Bellamy, are you even listening to me?" Clarke exclaimed. She couldn't make this decision on her own. They were a team. And they were responsible for the hundred. This was on them.

"What's there to discuss, Clarke?" He had found some moonshine, and he grabbed a dark shirt from her pack as well. He was in front of her again, about to start cleaning the cuts when she jumped to her feet.

"If I tell the counsel they'll give Finn up immediately."

"If you don't the alliance means nothing, and we'll lose hundreds more in a battle we aren't ready for. We have to think about the forty-seven in Mount Weather Clarke. We can't save our people if we have to fight the grounders off too." Bellamy grabbed Clarke's wrists, turning them over so he had access to her palms.

"We can't just kill an innocent person because it's the easiest option." Bellamy poured the alcohol on her hands and she winced.

"It sounds like you've already made up your mind, princess," Bellamy retorted, dropping her hands to her side and cleaning the blood from her face with the shirt.

"But he's not innocent, Bellamy." She pushed his hands away. He finally met her gaze, and he could see the water filling her eyes. He knew the tears wouldn't fall, that's the most emotion she liked to show. "And they didn't give us any options."

"What do you want me to say Clarke?" they were both quiet for a moment, and he started to wrap some cloth around her hands.

"I want you to argue with me, tell me what you think is right and convince me that it is," she said honestly. A small smile lifted, but her eyes were still heavy with dread. "The usual."

Bellamy smirked, and sat down on her cot. "I think that if you tell the counsel, half of them will argue to send him to the grounders and the other half will say it's unethical. If you tell Finn, he'll head over there himself. If you tell no one, then we won't be ready for the battle that will come if we don't accept the alliance."

There was a pause, but then he continued. "We're not the leaders anymore Clarke. This isn't the drop ship, and there's more than a hundred of us now." Clarke's eyes dropped. She had to tell the counsel. She had more than just the hundred to think about.

"Tell them there's no alliance," Bellamy said firmly. "Tell them to prepare for battle, and let us use this almost alliance as an advantage. They'll think we're bringing Finn, but let's bring a war instead."

Clarke's eyes widened. "But, you said we have more people to worry about now." Bellamy sprung to his feet, and took her face in his hands. They've never been this close before, and Clarke couldn't make sense of the speed of her heart.

"Clarke, I said we have more people now. Not more kids to worry about. We have guards, guns, engineers, and two really great doctors," Bellamy's smile was real. "Let's fight, because this time we can win."

Clarke never got that moment alone, but Bellamy had eased her mind in a way the silence never could. There was a reason he was her co-leader. They needed each other. She convinced him to do the right thing when it was possible, and he helped her do what had to be done when sometimes the only option seemed so wrong.

Clarke followed the blond guard to the Ark. The counsel was already in the conference room when Clarke arrived. Her mother sat at the center, and she watched her daughter's every move, her eyes lingering at the bandages on her hands.

"Do you have word from the grounders?" her mother asked calmly.

Clarke's thoughts ran one more lap before she came to her conclusion.

"We have an alliance." The relief in her mother's eyes was enough for Clarke to believe what she was doing was right. Bellamy had a point, and Clarke kept that as plan B. But, first she had to try and spare as many lives as possible. Many of her people and grounders would die if they refused the alliance. There was one last option Clarke had.

She left the meeting, having taken the rest of the stress off the counsel's shoulders. She wasn't worried though. This was the best option. An option she could live with.

Bellamy was sharpening a knife by the fire when a guard walked over to him and handed him a piece of paper. This was it. Clarke had told the counsel, and inside this letter he would find his job in all of this.

But, the writing wasn't anyone's from the counsel. He'd recognize her writing anywhere. Her letters were bold and clear, just like her words.

_Bellamy,_

_ I have chosen the best option I could think of. I have gone to offer myself instead of Finn. I cannot ask anyone to make a sacrifice this fatal, but I can make it myself. One life in exchange for hundreds. If my plan succeeds, please tell my mother I love her. Don't let Finn blame himself, and most importantly, find our people. _

_ If a grounder doesn't arrive at camp by dawn tomorrow, to finalize our alliance, then I have failed. Prepare our people for battle. Win. _

_Thank you for being the best co-leader anyone could ask for,_

_Clarke_

Bellamy jumped to his feet immediately, "where is she?" he barked at the guard.

"She told me to give this to you after dinner. She gave this to me over an hour ago, I don't know where she is now."

Of course she planned it this way. She didn't want Bellamy running after her. She was halfway there, and if her plan worked, she'd be dead in the next hour.

"Dammit, princess." He muttered to himself, already on his way to the Ark. He had to tell the chancellor, and they had to prepare for war. Bellamy would pass this responsibility onto the adults, and run after Clarke himself.

He would do his job, and warn their people, but there was no way he was leaving her behind.


	2. Chapter 2

The commander's eyes were piercing and venomous when she noticed Clarke had come alone. "We agreed upon one individual, _one_ as apposed to _hundreds_. Where is he?"

Clarke could feel the two grounders beside her stiffen. If their leader wasn't happy, then they were out for blood. She knew she was a second away from a broken neck.

"Take me instead. He's under my charge. As one of my people, I take full responsibility for his actions. He's still alive because I have not given the order to kill him," Clarke explained. Hoping it was enough.

The commander walked towards her, stopping not but an inch from her face. "I should kill you for not following my orders. But, that won't be enough. My people are dead. Innocent unarmed people, children, were slaughtered. I want the killer, not you," she spit at her.

"Killing him would be too easy," she paused, hoping she would at least hear her out. "Kill me and I promise you he will suffer. He's in love with me. He already hates himself enough for what he's done. Make him suffer more. Make him blame himself for my death as well. The guilt will destroy him more than any spear could."

Clarke could barely swallow past the lump growing in her throat. A part of her started to feel immensely guilty. Finn would suffer. Finn would do something stupid. She could only hope Bellamy would help him see reason.

She could see the fire burning behind the commander's eyes. She was debating it. She was actually debating it. "Lock her up," she ordered.

Arms wrenched Clarke backward, "No! What are you doing? Please, my people need that alliance! So do you!"

"And they'll get it," for a moment Clarke felt relief.

"As soon as your lover comes to rescue you." Panic began to seize her chest.

"He won't come," she hoped out loud. "He doesn't even know I'm here."

"Maybe if you scream loud enough, he will." Clarke shuddered at the smile on the commander's face.

The chancellor had pulled Bellamy aside as soon as he had warned the counsel. "What did she do?"

"Don't worry, ma'am," he assured. "I'm going to fix it."

Abby could sense it was worse than he was letting on. "Take everything you need, and everyone you need."

Bellamy shook his head. "We have to assume there will be a battle at first light. You need everyone and every gun. I can do this alone. It's less obvious this way."

Abby nodded. It surprised Bellamy how calm the Griffins could be in such harsh circumstances. If it was Octavia out there, Bellamy would be a wreck. Hell, with Clarke out there, the only thing keeping him together was the anger.

He was pissed she not only didn't take his advice, but also basically threw herself at the enemy. For someone so smart, she was absolutely idiotic.

Bellamy was packing a bag as quickly as possible, and was about to head off when Finn blocked his path.

"Where are you going?"

Bellamy pushed past him, but Finn clenched onto his shoulder tightly. "Where's Clarke?"

Bellamy turned to face him, but even without words his eyes said it all.

"I'm coming with you," Finn said, picking up his own pack. Typical Finn, completely unaware about what he was walking into, but prepared to do anything for Clarke.

"You're staying here," Bellamy ordered.

"No way. Not if she's out there," Finn retorted, already walking toward the gate.

It was Bellamy's turn to pull the spacewalker back. "You don't know the whole story. If you go, all of this is for nothing."

Finn observed Bellamy's face more intensely. "Tell me everything."

Bellamy froze. He knew Clarke would be pissed. But, right now he didn't have a plan. What was he going to do? Sneak up, find her, grab her, and run? All without being detected by the masses of warriors in that very camp?

Finn was his only way in. They see Finn, and they won't ask questions. Hell, they'd probably throw Clarke back at Bellamy.

So he told Finn everything, watched his face grow pale, and then immediately after burn up with vengeance. Bellamy still didn't have a plan, but at least he had the best bargaining chip possible.


	3. Chapter 3

Clarke strained against the chains binding her to the tree. They hadn't budged for the past hour she had been trying to break free. She didn't want to find out what they intended to do to her to draw Finn in, but she had no clue how to get the upper hand when she was basically cemented to this prickly oak.

She didn't have much time to continue trying, as she saw a man, rather short for a grounder, walk towards her. His figure wasn't menacing, but she had a feeling that whatever was in the bag he was holding was nothing pleasant. His eyes were the worst part. They were steel gray and unforgiving. Every part of his face told Clarke to get her ass in gear and get the hell out of here. But, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

He kneeled beside her, unfazed by the panic in her eyes. He was used to this. This was his job. He opened his pack and pulled out a rustic looking pair of pliers. _You could get tetanus just looking at this thing,_ Clarke thought.

He lifted her arm as high as the chains would allow, holding her hand firmly in his. "I suggest you scream," he told her, an emotionless look on his face. He peeled the bandages from her hands, eyeing the shallow cuts suspiciously.

"I have anxiety issues," she explained. "It comes with being leader." She hoped reminding him her position with her people would gain her some respect. Maybe he would even fear her a little.

"It sounds like you aren't cut out to be a leader after all, if it's the stress that gets to you," he retorted. _Ouch, _Clarke thought. That hit a little too close to home.

He pinched her fingernail with the pliers, and slowly started to pull. White-hot pain shot from the tip of her finger down her arm. She bit her lip to hold in whatever response her body desperately wanted to make. The grounder watched her carefully, and then began to push with the pliers, sending the nail back down where it came from. Clarke tried to stifle the scream she could no longer hold back. It came out as a pained grunt, and she refused to let it be anything more.

He looked unimpressed and then ripped the nail off entirely. It all became a blur after that. Nail after nail, and still she fought to reign it all in. She wasn't just proving her strength, but also trying to keep anyone nearby oblivious. They couldn't find her. _He_ couldn't find her.

One of her hands was entirely bare before he started a new tactic. In the distance, Clarke noticed a very displeased commander. Clarke would've smirked if she weren't so exhausted.

"Move," the commander barked, at Clarke's side in seconds. The torturer jumped out of the way quickly. She reached out and yanked Clarke's hair, pulling her as far as the chains would allow.

"Scream," she ordered.

Clarke met her hard stare, and refused. Before she knew what was happening, a fist was flying at her face. Clarke's head slammed back against the tree, and sharp pain shot through both sides of her skull.

She felt the chains around her loosen, and someone pull her to her feet. Hands clenched her throat, pinching her airway. Her blurry vision was trying it's best to focus, but it couldn't.

"I said, SCREAM," she commanded once more. She was dropped to her very wobbly feet, probably because they realized she needed her lungs to scream. A finger pinched the bridge of her nose, and at first Clarke was confused until she felt searing pain. Stitch by stitch, the commander was ripping out Clarke's stitches.

Clarke clenched her teeth together, the screams minor and muffled. Then hands grabbed her arm and wrenched. There was a dull pop, and finally she couldn't help but scream.

They weren't far when they heard her cries. There was no doubting it was Clarke. Bellamy couldn't help but let his imagination run rampant. It took a hell of lot to make Clarke cry nonetheless scream.

The two of them burst into a run and were there in half the time it should've taken. The plan they had yet to come up with was forgotten as soon as they broke into the clearing. Clarke was standing there, in the middle, flanked by two grounders and an intensely dressed grounder. She was small, but her face was menacing and unforgiving. Bellamy had no doubt she was responsible for Clarke's cries.

His eyes momentarily looked her over. Noting the darkness around her eye, the blood dripping down her nose, and the arm limp at her side.

He ran to her, surprised no one stopped him. His hands gently held her face, "Are you okay?" he asked her, his eyes searching for a solution.

"You brought Finn here?" her voice was unapologetic, and angry.

Having completely forgotten about him, Bellamy spun around. That's why no one stopped him. They were done with Clarke, and they had what they wanted all along.

Finn already had two black eyes, and two guards were holding him up between them. Finn didn't look pained. For the first time in days, the spacewalker looked relieved. He thought he deserved this and he was finally getting retribution.

"Wait," Clarke called out. Walking briskly toward the woman Bellamy realized was their leader. He followed closely behind her, his eyes daring any of the surrounding guard to stop her.

They moved forward to do just that when the leader held up her hand. Bellamy immediately knew he was right with his assumption.

"I know you're going to kill him," the leader raised an eyebrow, curious as to where this was going. "But, please do me one favor. Let's start this alliance out as peacefully as possible."

That was ironic, Bellamy thought. Here Clarke was, bloody and tearful and she called this peaceful?

"Don't drown him. Anything else. Just don't drown him. His mother died that way, and he's terrified of water," Clarke pleaded. Finn didn't lift his head, but Bellamy was confused. To his knowledge his mother died on the Ark, and there was not enough water on the Ark to drown anyone. Clarke was up to something. He kept his face as emotionless and unrevealing as possible.

"He slaughtered my people. You don't get to choose his end," she spat back at her. "Take him to the river," she commanded her warriors.

Clarke reached back for Bellamy, grabbing his arm for support. He held her up, utterly lost, but playing along. She'd never needed anyone before. She was putting on a show, and Bellamy knew he needed to as well.

The commander revealed an ounce of pity when she looked at Clarke. "You don't have to watch this. Go back to camp. Our alliance starts the moment he stops breathing."

Clarke shook her head. "He's our responsibility," Clarke explained, holding onto Bellamy tighter. "We stay with him until the end."


	4. Chapter 4

There was no time to explain to Bellamy her plan. They had to practically run to keep up with the grounders, and Bellamy could barely convince her to stop to fix her arm. She was cradling it at her side and it was slowing them down.

"It's dislocated," she explained. Bellamy was sure she would set it herself if it was possible. "Push it back in," she told him.

Bellamy looked her in the eye carefully, looking for any hint at what the hell was going on. She gave nothing away. Not when he gripped her forearm in one hand, and her shoulder in the other. Not even when he shoved the bone back into place. She cried out, and tears streamed down her face, but she refused to stop.

"Thanks," she muttered, hurrying after the grounders once more.

They made it to the river a few minutes after the grounders, and they at least had the decency to wait until she was there. Clarke knew it was the commander's last act of torture before Clarke became an untouchable ally.

Finn stared Clarke straight in the eye before they shoved him under. It scared her how unafraid he was. He thought he deserved tis. And worse, he thought she agreed. She didn't try to stop them. She gave up, and he didn't understand why.

She stepped forward instinctively, unable to stop herself. Bellamy looped an arm around her waist, securely holding her back.

She knew it had to be done, but Clarke couldn't help herself from struggling against him and crying out for Finn. Bellamy held her tighter, and tried to ignore the ache in his chest as he listened to her call out for the spacewalker.

Did that make him as worse as the grounders? He led Finn here and didn't so much as bat an eye when they walked him to his death.

Soon Finn stopped fighting and his body just floated there. Clarke let out a sob, and fought harder against Bellamy. He pressed her as tightly to himself as possible, refusing to let go. He didn't want to know what they would do if Clarke tried to intervene.

The grounders stepped away from his body. The commander's eyes found Clarke and that same pity was back, but this time it stayed. They were allies now.

"C-can we be alone with him? He needs a proper burial," Clarke begged, fresh tears streaming down her face.

The commander nodded, and the grounders left. Clarke ran to Finn's body, pulling him harshly from the water and onto land.

"Bellamy," she whispered, he stood behind her, unsure what to do.

"Can you tell me when they're gone?" she asked in a clear voice. Her tears were gone. This was supposed to happen and Bellamy felt a small flame of hope light up inside him.

He turned to face the woods, and saw no one in sight. They might still be able to hear them, but with the darkness of the night and the density of the woods, he was sure they were clear.

"I think it's safe," he whispered back, his eyes not leaving the forest, searching meticulously for any sign of movement.

Clarke lifted Finn's chin, opening his windpipe as much as possible. She then pressed her head against his chest. There was no rhythmic thud, and she knew there was only a small chance. She placed her hands carefully on his chest, making sure her fingers were set perfectly on the right ribs. With all her weight she came down on him, effectively dislodging his ribcage.

She could feel his chest soften as she was granted access to his heart. She counted out every movement. She couldn't be emotional. This had to go perfectly. This was a test that she could not fail.

She counted out every move, and then switched to his mouth, filling him with air. "Come on Finn. You've put me through enough hell, don't you think," she told him as though he could hear her.

"Clarke, you can't save everyone," Bellamy told her gently. She hadn't realized he was behind her now.

She ignored him and continued the compressions. Every minute he was down he was less and less likely to come back. He had to breathe soon. He had to.

"Clarke it's been ten minutes," Bellamy told her. His hands found her shoulders, careful not to press too much on her bad one. It was then that he noticed her bloody hand. Her fingernails were gone, her shoulder surely had to hurt and yet she wouldn't stop.

He was about to pull her away, when something amazing happened. Finn coughed. Clarke quickly flipped him onto his side as he relieved himself of the water. "Thank god," Clarke kept saying over and over.

Bellamy fell beside her, and they sat there, over a barely conscious Finn, thanking their lucky stars. Relief flooded both of them. Every time one of the hundred died, a piece of each of them died as well.

"You did it, princess," Bellamy smiled. "How the hell did you come up with that?"

Clarke smiled back at him. "You saw the look on their faces when my mom jumpstarted Lincoln's heart. I was kind of hoping they didn't know about CPR either."

Bellamy couldn't help but laugh. "That was all a guess?"

"Well I didn't see you coming up with any brilliant plans? You two ran into enemy territory without any plan at all! What the hell were you guys thinking?"

"That they must've been doing something awful to make you scream like that," Bellamy admitted, looking at Clarke carefully.

Clarke gave him a weak smile. "I scream like a girl, huh?"

Bellamy nodded with a laugh, pulling her towards him into a hug. "Don't ever do that again, you idiot."

Clarke hugged him back. "What scream?"

"No, leave me. I do remember you yelling at me once for trying to run away. Same goes for you," he ordered.

He could hear the smile in her face. "We did it, Bell. Finn's alive, I'm alive, and we have an alliance." They pulled away from each other, and watched Finn breathe.

"Now we just need the rest of our people," he reminded her. As though she had forgotten. No matter how big of a win this was, there were still forty-seven of their people in Mount Weather. Not to mention the grounders could not know Finn was alive.

"What do you think is going to be harder? Raiding Mount Weather, or keeping Finn under the radar?" she joked.

"Both of those are nothing compared to what's next," Bellamy said.

"And what's that?"

"Telling your mom what happened."

Clarke groaned. "Yep, that's gonna suck." She sat up and began checking Finn's vitals to keep herself from thinking about her mother.

"Good, then maybe you won't be so stupid next time."

Clarke looked up from Finn and smiled, "maybe."


End file.
